Sheet feeding and registering mechanism



June 10, 1941. c. w. HARROLD EI'AL SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERINGMECHANISM Filed March 13, ].940 4Sheets-Sheet 1 (5R. CHARLES ARRIMD BY IHome/e014; Para/(4R0 I ATTORNEY5 June 10, 1941. c. w. HARROLD ETAL SHEETFEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v mvmon Clowns M.II/QIM'QLD BY Momma A. Perm/149p ATTORNEYS Filed March 13, 1940 June-10,1941. c. w. HARROLD EI'AL SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM R m Nw m Can/i253 W fine/M40 HOWARD 14.

Filed March 13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet. 3

Julie 1941- c. W .HARROLD EF'AI.

' SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed March 13, 1940' 4Sheets-Sheet 4' I'll/impala A. PRITC/MRD amass BY Home/ea m $0"! ATTO Jing the sheets to a stop.

Patented June 10,1941

SHEET FEEDING AND MEOHANISM REGISTERING Charles W. Harrold, UniversityHeights, and

' Howard A. Pritchard, Hiram, Ohio, assignors to Harris-Seybold-PottcrCompany, 'Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March13, 1940, Serial No. 323,831

(emu-4e) 32 Claims.

This invention'relates to improvements in sheet feeding and registering.mechanism for feeding sheets to printing presses, folding machines, andthe like, and has reference particularly to a feeder so constructed andoperated as to take .an advancing sheet while it is moving, frontregister the sheet, and then while the sheet continues to move, sideregister it, thereby avoiding the delay in the feeding cycle as commonlyconstituted and caused by the necessity for stopping the sheet in orderto front and side register it. This delay necessarily consumes pear aswe proceed with the description of those embodiments of the inventionwhich, for the purposes of the present application, we have illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing theinvention applied to a pile feeder utilizing the stream feed principle.

time corresponding to a portion of the revolution of the impressioncylinder, and therefore causes a corresponding reduction in the lengthof sheet which can be printed on a cylinder of given diameter.Furthermore, mechanism employed for accelerating a sheet from acondition of rest to the peripheral speed of the impression cylinderpresents unavoidable complications, and calls for a rather heavyapplication of power. The present application is a continuation in partof our copending application Serial No. 146,734, filed June It is anobject of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism forfeeding sheets from a pile, or bank into a printing press or othermachine.

Another object is the provision of mechanism of the character statedwhich shall be capable of eifecting front and side register withoutbring- A further object is to provide a variable speed rotary sheettransfer mechanism of simple construction and capable of smooth andeilicient operation especially suitable for engaging a sheet travelingat relatively reduced speeds andaccelerating the same to the speed ofthe machine which is to-operate upon it.

Another object is to provide a side register mechanism, the movements ofwhich will coincide accuratelywith the movements of the sheet beingregistered, so that the side registering operation will not otherwiseaffect the position of the sheet. I

A further object is to provide a variable speed rotary sheet transfermechanism and a side register mechanism, the bodily movements of whichwhile registering the sheet will follow accurately the variable speed ofthe transfer mechanism.

Still another object is the provision of front and side registeringmechanism especially adapted for use on sheets which are forwardedtowardthe press in underlapped formation.

. Other objects and features of novelty will ap- Fig. 2 is a fragmentalside elevational view of the same on a larger scale, showing theposition of the parts at a time just prior to the time when a sheetfirst comes into engagement with'the front stops.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the construction shownin Fig. 2, certain partsbeing broken away in order,to more fully illustrate the invention.

' Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic elevational views showing respectivelythe positions of the parts when a sheet has been side registered and isbeing taken by the sheet grippers on the transfer member, and thepositions of the parts when a sheet is. being delivered to theimpression cylinder of a printing press.

Figs. 6 and 7 are elevational and plan views respectively in fragmentalform of a modiflcation of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a detail view, partly in section on line 8-8 of Fig. 3,showing the side register guide and sucker on a larger scale.

Referring to Fig. 1, it represents a pile of paper sheets. Sheet liftingsuckers II working on the rear comers of the pile are caused to lift therear edge of the uppermost sheet, blowers l2 then winding the sheet,after which forwarding suckers l3, then in line with lifting suckers ll,take the sheet and with the assistance of the air blast carry it forwardinto engagement with feed rollers l4 and I5. After this sheet is incontrol of the feeding rollers the suckers ll and, I3 and the blower I2function again to grasp the next succeeding sheet and feed it forwardunder the first named sheet into feeding engagement with the rollers l4and i5. This feeding action is continued, providing a stream of sheetswhich are caused. to travel forward upon a feed board It.

'In certain of its aspects the present invention is adapted for use infeeders where the moving tion between the tapes and the sheets forwardedthereby. It should be understood that rollers I. may be either wheels orballs. The tapes ll, of which there may be any needful number spacedtransversely of the feed board, run upon rollers 19 and 20, one of whichmay be driven at a speed preferably such as to cause the travel of thetapes at a rate approximately one-half the speed of travel of the sheetsin the printing press. Where the invention is applied to use withapparatus for feeding sheets in an entirely separated condition insteadof lapped sheets as in the form illustrated the rollers I4, I! and thetapes ll "may be driven at relatively high speed, such as approximatelythe speed of cylinder 2!, so that each sheet is completely withdrawnfrom the pile ill before the next sheet is moved forward by suckers l3.In this case each sheet would be driven by the tapes I! against thestops 8| substantially when the latter are in the position illus tratedin Fig. 2 but at higher speed than the speed of those stops. As thestops decelerate a greater slippage between the sheet and the tapeswould occur than if the tapes were moving slowly for lapped feeding, butthe speed of the sheet during the period it is against the stops wouldbe the same as that of the stops and the side register mechanism wouldfunction in the manner described.

The feeder proper may be employed in con-' nection with an impressioncylinder 2! of a printing press, or other corresponding cylinder of someother sheet handling machine. This cylinder may be mounted in suitablebearings in the frame members 22, which are preferably common to thepress and the feeder. The cylinder 2| is carried upon and keyed to ashaft 23. This shaft may carry a gear wheel 24 to which driving forcemay be imparted from any suitable source. Se-

cured togear H by screws 25 or the like is an elliptical gear 26, andthis gear meshes with a second elliptical gear 21 keyed to a shaft 28which is likewise journaled in frame members 22.

On the shaft 28 we secure two arms 19, to which weattach a flared guideplate 30 having a radial portion which is utilized in the mounting ofthe plate. On the back of the latter we mount a series of front stops IIagainst. which the forward edges of the sheets are registered. Alsosupported upon the arms 2! there is a shaft by changing the proportionsof the elliptical gears.

38 and 39 are two rods supported in the frame members and carrying abracket II which is slidable transversely to various positions ofadiustment in which it may be locked by set screws 4| and 42. A shaft 43journaled in the frame extends through a pair of hearings in the bracketI, and between these hearings a. pinion 44 is keyed to the shaft. Shaft43 also has a gear 45 fixed thereto, Fig. 3, which meshes with a largecircular gear 46 on shaft 28, by which means shaft 43 is turnedcontinuously at constantly changing speed. A pinion 41 mounted on a stubshaft in bracket 40 meshes with pinion H, and on this stub shaft thereis mounted a sprocket wheel ll over which runs an endlem chain 49, theopposite loop 'of the chainxrunning over another sprocket 50 iournaledin the rear end of the bracket. Depending portions of the bracket haveattached thereto a slide guide 5| in the form of a bar which constitutesa track for a slide block 52. One end of this block is pivotallyconnected with a link or connecting rod 53, the opposite end of which ispivotally connected with the chain 49. By this arrangement, as will beobvious. movement of the chain 48 in one direction results inreciprocating movement of the slide block 52.

Slide block 52 carries a side guide andside register mechanism. In thebroader aspects of the invention the particular type of side registermechanism is immaterial, but our preference at the present time is for asuction type of .somewhat the same nature as that disclosed in U. S.patent to Headley Townsend Backhouse, No. 2,165,172, issued July 4,1939.

As diagrammatically disclosed herein, see Fig. 8 in particular, theslide block illcarries 2. cylinder 54 in which is slidably mounted ahollow plunger 55 with a downturned nose, having at its bottom surface aplurality of suction openings 56. This nose is adapted to move over aside guide 51. The upper Part of the plunger may carry a boss 58 throughwhich extends a hole that slidably receives a rod 59 which is 33carrying a series of sheet grippers ll of convmtional form that arecaused to open and close at properly timed points in the rotation of theshaftllbymeanswell knownintheart an not herein illustrated.

Arod or bar 35 is carried by the frame members 22, and at intervalsthere are supported on this rod guides 38 with inner faces ofcylindrical form which are to stand adjacent to but not quite touchingthe p iph ry of the rotating parts of the iu'ansfermemberl The guide. 3|

serve to confine and direct the sheet while it is movingin engagementwith th'e4ront stops iland before it is taken by the grippers ll." Thecylinder II is also provided with-sheet grippers 31 constructed andoperated in the usual manner.

The ellipticalgears It and 2], when proportioned and mountedsubstantially as shown in the drawlm, impart t0 the shaft 2' and thetransfer-member of which it is a part continuous variable rotation froma. speed approximatin: one-third that of cylinder 2| up to a maximum ofthree times the speed of the cylinder, and back again to one-thirdspeed. Other minimum and maximum values could be obtained sheet.

anchored in the slide block and forms an additional guide and supportfor the plunger. A flexible hose 60 is attached to a nipple 6| extendingrearwardly from the cylinder- M, by means of which connectionis made toa vacuum pump. Within the cylinder and hollow plunger there is a coilspring 1 which tends to hold the plunger in its forward position,butyields when vacuum is applied. When suction is made effective thatpart of a. sheet beneath the nose of the plunger'is quickly attracted,closing of! the suction openings 58, after which suction builds upwithin the hollow plunger and the cylinder, and

' ther movement of the plunger in the name direction merely serves todraw the plunger 0! of the InI'lgJthepartsarcshowninthepositions whichthey occupy slightly prior to the time the foremost sheet of the streamon the feed board contacts the stops ll. At this time the periphcry ofthe transfer member is moving at approximately the same speed as thesheets on the feed board,thatis tosayathalfthe speedofthesurface ofimpression cylinder 2|. 'Ihe r pper fingers 34 are thrown back out ofthe way, as shown in Fig. 2. At this time the transfer mem-- her isslowing down however. so that from this point on the tendency of thesheet is to travel faster than the stops 3|, and accordingly the frontedge of the sheet is forced against the stops, while some slippageoccurs between the feeding tapes and the uppermost sheet. As the stopsmove forward and permit the sheet to advance under the impetus ofthetapes the sheet is guided in a circular path around the transfermember by the curved guides 36. While this is occurring the slide 52 andthe side register mechanism thereon are advancing bodily along with thesheet at precisely the same speed. During this time, and after the sheethas reached stops 3l,.suitable controls cause air to be exhausted in theside register mechanism, and the sheet is thereby pulled up against theside guide 51. By the time the parts have reached the positions of Fig.4 the side registering operation has been completed and the suction inthe side register mechanism is about to be cut off. The transfer memberis at this time moving at about one-third the speed of the cylinder,that isto say it is turning at its minimum speed. The gripper fingers 34now close on the sheet, suction' in the side register mechanismis cutoff, and the peripheral speed of the transfer member immediately beginsto accelerate. Atthe time the grippers reach the position of Fig. 5,which is the position of transfer to the impression cylinder, the sheetis moving at the same speed as the impression cylinder. After the sheetis side registered, and the suction in the register mechanism is broken,the forward travel of the latter mechanism is caused to cease also andmove in the opposite direction into position for acting upon the nextsucceeding sheet by the connection between the chain and the link 53traveling up around sprocket 48 and backward with the upper run of thechain.. After the sheet is deliveredto the impression cylinder the speedof the transfer member continues 'to increase finally-becoming threetimes that of the impression cylinder and imparting a correspondinglyrapid travel to chain 49 for a portion of the rearward travel of theslide 52. As indicated in Fig. 5, at the time the delivery'of a sheet ismade to the impression cylinder the side register mechanism has alreadystarted on its return stroke.

InFigs. 6 and 7 we have illustrated a modified form of the invention inwhich the movement of the side register mechanism is effected by a camrather than by an endless chain. The shaft 28 and the transfer memberare driven in the same manner as before, that is by a pair of ellipticalgears 26 and 21.

bearing in the-bracket 65. This shaft is pref-' erably provided with akeyway to receive a key in the hub portion of a swinging arm 10. Thisarm is confined in a slot H formed-as a recess in bracket 65;- therecess being covered by a plate 12, 'The lower end of this arm hasa pinandslot connection with slide 68. The slide carries aside registermechanism which may be a duplicate of otally connected with the lower.end of a crankthat previously described for the preferred form oftheinvention.

Fixed to shaft 23 there is a circular gear 13 which meshes with anothercircular gear I4 that is free to turn on shaft 28, .A cam 15 is fastenedto gear by screws 16 or the like. Cam 15 is engaged by cam follower 11carried upon one arm of a bell crank lever 18, being held against thecam by coil spring I9. Bell crank 18, which is pivoted, to the frame at80, has a depending arm that is pivctally connected with a. link 8|, andthe other end of the latter is in turn piv- 82 which is secured at itsupper end to the rock shaft 69. The arm .10 is swung, and reciprocationsthereby imparted to slide 68 by the cam construction just described. Thecam i so formed that as the follower rides up onto the high part of thecam the slide 68 moves forward during the side registering operation ata speed equal to the peripheral speed of stops 3|, that is equal to thespeed of a sheet which i againstinduced by the chain of the firstdescribed form of the invention, but it may be modified and changed inwhatever way may seem to be desirable. Although asillustrated herein thecam is given a regular constant speed rotation by reason of its beinggeared to shaft 23, it is to be understood-that the .cam may be lockedto shaft 28 if desired, which will give to it a constantly changingspeed of rotation. 'An arrangement -of the latter kind will of coursecall for a quite diffrent' cam contour. In Fig, 6 four positions ofthe'follower 11 are plotted, and the corresponding positions of the sideregister mechanism are also shown. In respects other than thoseillustrated and described the second form of the invention correspondsprecisely with the first form, and it functions in the same manner.

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. In sheet feedingmechanism, a rotating sheet transfer member adapted to be engaged by aforwarded sheet while the latter is in motion, means to forward sheetssuccessively from a pile or bank into engagement-with said transfermember, and means outside the path of rotaticn of the transfer member toshift each sheet sidewise to side register it while moving afterengagement with the transfermember.

2. In sheet feeding mechanism, a rotating sheet transfer member adaptedto be engaged by a forwarded sheet while the latter is in mo-- tion,means to forward sheets successively from a pile or bank'into engagementwith said transfer member, means separate from the transfer memberincluding a guide member bodily movable in the direction of sheet travelfor side registering each sheet separately while moving after engagementwith the transfer member, and

transfer member over the sheet support means to uide the forwarded sheetaround the transfer member in a curved path, and means engaging theportion of a sheeton the support to side register the same while beingguided around the transfer member.

4. In sheet feeding mechanism, a rotating sheet transfer member, sheetstops thereon, means to forward a sheet toward the transfer member andinto engagement with the stops. said means tending to advance the sheetata speed greater than the speed of the stops, and means separate fromthe transfer member to shift each sheet sidewise' to sid register itafter engagement with the stops.

5. In sheet feeding mechanism, a continuously rotating sheet transfermember, sheet stops' thereon, means to forward a sheet toward thetransfer member and into engagement with the stops, said means tendingto advance the, sheet at a speed greater than the speed of the stops,means for side registering the, sheet after engagement with the stopsincluding a guide member bodily movable toward and away from thetransfer member, and means for imparting to the guide member bodilymovement corresponding to the forward movement of the sheet during theside registration thereof. 7

6. In sheet feeding mechanism, means to forward sheets from a pile orbank, a non-uniform- 1y rotating sheet transfer member adapted to engagea forwarded sheet while the latter is in motion, a guide separate fromthe transfer member for side registering the sheet while moving afterengagement with the transfer memher, and means for imparting bodilymoveher for side registering the sheet, and means for imparting bodilymovement to the guide in unison with the movement of the sheet while inengagement with said stops.

8. In a machine of the class'described, a uniformly rotating sheetreceiving cylinder, ,a continuously non-uniformly rotating sheettransfer member, means for forwarding sheets to the transfer membertending to advance them at a substantially uniform speed greater thanthe slowest peripheral speed of the transfer member, and stops on thetransfer member adapted to engage and front register the front edge of aforwarded sheet during forward motion of the transfer member while itsspeed is less than the speed of the sheet forwarding means.

9. In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheetreceiving cylinder, a continuously non-uniformly rotating sheet transfermember, means for forwarding sheets to the transfer member tending toadvance them at a aaiasoe transfer member tending to advance 'them at asubstantially uniform speed greater than the slowest peripheral speed ofthe transfer member, stops on the transfer member adapted to engage thefront edge of a forwarded sheet during the time the peripheral speed ofthe transfer member is less than the speed of the sheet forwardingmeans, means separate, from the transfer member for side registeringthesheet while against said stops, and means for impart ing bodilymovement to said last mentioned means in unison with the forwardmovement of the sheet while against said stops.

. 11. In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheetreceiving cylinder, means for forwarding sheets toward said cylinder, arotatably-mounted sheet transfer member arranged to transfer forwardedsheets one at a time to said cylinder, driving connections between saidcylinder and the sheet transfer member arranged to impart continuousvariable rotation to the latter, means separate from the transfer memberto engage and side register a sheet while in motion, and drivingconnections between the transfer member and the side register meansarranged to impartlinear movement to the latter substantially identicalwith the peripheral movement of the transfer member during theengagement of the side register means with the sheet.

12; In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheetreceiving cylinder, means for forwarding sheets toward the cylinder inunderlapped formation from a pile or bank, said means being arranged toforward the sheets at.

a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cyl inder during at leasta portion of their travel from the pile or bank, and a sheet transfermember having continuous non-uniform rotation arranged to take eachsheet in turn at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cylinder,accelerate the sheet to the peripheral speed of the cylinder and releasethe sheet to the cylinder.

13. A combination as in the preceding claim including stops carried bythe transfer member which engage the forward edge of the sheet while thetransfer member is slowing down relative to the forward movement of thesheet.

14. In a sheet feeder, sheet forwarding means, a rotating variable speedtransfer member adapted to take a moving sheet from said forwardingmeans, side register mechanism movable back and forth parallel to thedirection of sheet travel on the forwarding means, and means timed withthe movements of said transfer member for moving said side registermechanism forward at a speed corresponding as the then peripheral speedof the transfer' member.

15. In a sheet feeder, sheet forwarding means, a rotating variable speedt'ransfer member adapted to take a moving sheet from said forwardingmeans, side register mechanism movable back and forth parallel to thedirection of sheet travel on the forwarding means, and driving meansgeared tosaid transfer member for above the feed board. side registermechanism slidably supported on said slide guide, an endless chainmou'nted'parallel with said slide guide, a link connecting said sideregister mechanism with a. point in said chain, and means for gearingsaid chain to said transfer member, whereby the movements of the sideregister mechanism are caused to correspond in speed with the peripheralmovements of the transfer member.

17. In a sheetfeeder for feeding sheets'to a machine in which there is ashaft rotating at constant speed, a transfer member, elliptical ing witheach other, whereby the transfer member is' given a continuous variablespeed rotation, and means for presenting a moving sheet to said transfermember while the latter is rotating at a comparatively low rate ofspeed.

18. In a sheet feeder for feeding sheets to a machine in which there isa cylinder rotating at constant speed, a transfer member, ellipticalgears on said cylinder and transfer member meshing with each other,whereby the transfer member is given a continuous variable speedrotation, means for presenting a moving sheet to said transfer memberwhen the speed of the latter is decreasing, said transfer member havingsheet grippers arranged to close on the moving sheet before the speed ofthe transfer member has begun to increase and arranged to open again fordelivery of a sheet to the cylinder when the speed of the transfermember is the same as that of the cylinder.

19. In a sheet feeder, a feed board, a transfer member turning around anaxis at variable a movable side guide member separate from the transfermember against which a sheet may be side registered, and means forimparting linear movement to said side guide member in unison with theforward movement of a sheet against said front stops during the sideregistering operation.

- gears on said shaft and transfer member meshment to said side guidemember in unison with the forward movement of a sheet against said stopsduring the side registering operation.

23; In a machine of the class described, a unisheets at a speed lessthan the peripheral speed of the cylinder during at least a portion oftheir travel from the pile or bank, and means for registering eachforemost sheet of the stream in turn and transferring it from-the streamto the cylinder, said means comprising the following elements: namely,movable front stops against which the sheets are registered, means forimparting non-uniform velocity to said stops, said velocity being lessthan that of the stream during at least a part of the time a sheet isagainst said stops, a movable side guide member against which the sheetsare side registered, means for imparting linear movement to said sideguide member in unison withthe forward movement of a sheet against saidstops during the side registering operation, and moving sheet grippersadapted to grip the registered sheet,-

accelerate it to substantially the speed of said sheet receivingcylinder and release it to the latter.

24. In a machine of the class described, a

uniformly rotatating she'et receiving cylinder,

means for forwarding a stream of sheets toward the cylinder in lappedformation at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cylinder, arotatable transfer member operable to withdrawsheets one at a time fromthe stream and v present them to the cylinder, means for driving thetransfer member with non-uniform rotation comprising an acceleratingperiod and a decelerating period and including speeds above "and belowthe speed of the streamof sheets, and stops on the transfer memberadapted during deceleration of the latter to project into the pathtraversed by the stream to intercept a sheet at its leading edge andslow the same down below the speed imparted thereto by the forward- 21.In a sheet feeder for feeding sheets to a machine in which there is ashaft rotating at constant speed, a transfer member, means adapted to bedriven by said constant speed shaft for imparting a continuous variablespeed rotation to the transfer member, each revolution of the transfermember comprising a period of acceleration and one of deceleration, andmeans for advancing a sheet with continuous'forward movement from thesupply to the transfer member and presenting the same while moving tothe transfer member during the decelerating movement of the latter.

22. In sheet feeding mechanism, means for registering a sheet while inmotion comprising movable front stops against which a sheet may beregistered, moving means for advancing a sheettoward said-stops, meansfor imparting non-uniform velocity to saidstops, said velocity beingless than that of said sheet advancing means during at least a part ofthe time a sheet is against said stops, a movable side guide memberagainst which a sheet may be side registered, and means for impartinglinear moveing means.

25. In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheetreceiving cylinder, means for forwarding a stream of sheets toward thecylinder in underlapped formation at a speed less than the peripheralspeed of the cylinder, a rotatable transfer member operable to withdrawsheets one at a time from the stream and present them to the cylinder,means for drivingthe transfer member with non-uniform rotationcomprising an accelerating period and a decelerating period andincluding speeds above and below thespeed of the stream of sheets, andstops on the transfer member adapted during deceleration of the lattertoproject into the path traversed by the stream to intercept a sheet atits leading edge and slow the same down below the speed imparted theretoby the forwarding means, said "cylinder, transfer member, and drivingmeans cooperating to move each sheet com-' pletely off the nextunderlying sheet before said ing press orthe like having a uniformlyrotating sheet receiving cylinder comprising conveying a stream ofsheets in underlapped formation toward the cylinder at a fraction of theperipheral speed of the latter, slowing down the foremost sheet of thestream, registering said sheet, gradually accelerating said registeredsheet to the speed of the cylinder, transferring said sheet to thecylinder, removing said sheet completely from the next underlying sheetand thereafter slowing down said next underlying sheet.

27. In a machine of the class described, means for separating sheetsfrom a supply and advancing them with the rear portion of each sheetoverlying the next following sheet, sheet ipp rs arranged to grip theforward edge of a moving sheet presented thereto and to move in anarcuate path with the sheet, sheet stops adapted to move at the samespeed as said grippers, driven sheet forwarding means on one side of thesheets and roller means on the other side thereof cooperating with saiddriven means toiorwardeachsheetintumagainstsaidmps while said stops aremoving and while maintaining the sheet in its'partly overlying relationto the next succeeding sheet, said sheet forwarding means having at thetime the sheet engages the moving stops speed greater than the thenspeed of said stops, said gripp rs being actuated to close on a sheetwhile the same is against said stops and still partly overlies thesucceeding sheet, and sheet guides extending to the point where saidgripp rs close on the sheet for confining the moving sheet until it istaken by said grippers.

28. In a machine of the class described, means for separating sheetsfrom a supply and ad-' maintaining its partly" overlying relation to thenext succeeding sheet, said sheet forwarding means having speed greaterthan the then speed of said stops prior to the time the sheet isgripped, said grippers being actuated to close on a sheet while the sameis against said stops and still partly overlies the succeeding sheet,and sheet guides extending to the point where said grippers close on thesheet for confining the moving sheet until it is taken by said grippers.J 29, In a machine of the class described, means for separating sheetsfrom a supply and advancing them with the rear portion of each sheetoverlying the next succeeding sheet, a

having sheet grippers arranged to grip the forward edge of a movingsheet presented thereto and transfer the, same to said sheet receivincylinder, sheet stops on said transfer member adapted to engage theforward edge of the sheets, driven sheet forwarding means on one side ofthe sheets and roller means on the other side thereof cooperating withsaid driven means to forward'each sheet in turn against said movingstops while still maintaining its partly overlying relation to the nextsucceeding sheet, said sheet forwarding means having speed greater thanthe then speed of said stops prior to the time the sheet is gripped,said gripp s being actuated to close on a sheet while the same isagainst said stops and still partly overlies the succeeding sheet, andsheet guides extending to the point where said grippers close on thesheet for confining the moving sheet until it is taken by said grippers.

30. In a-machine of the class described, a

feed board, means for separating sheets from a supply and forwardingthem over said feed board in lapped relation, a continuously rotatingsheet handling member adjacent the forward end of said sheet handlingmember arranged and operated to close on a sheet while the same isagainst said stops and still partly laps the next succeeding sheet,and'sheet guides extending to the point where said gripp rs close on thesheet for confining the moving sheet until it is taken by said grippers.

' 31. In a machine of the class formly rotating sheet receivingcylinder, a nonuniformly rotating sheet transfer member having speedsequal to and less than the speed of the sheet receiving cylinderI stopson said transfer member, means forforwarding sheets successively againstsaid stops while the transfer member is traveling at a speed less thanthe speed of the sheet receiving cylinder, and grippers on the transfermember arranged and operated to close on a sheet while the same is beingforwarded against said moving stops. 32. In a machine of the classdescribed, a uniforrnly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, a nonuniformly rotating sheet transfer member cooperating therewith havingspeeds equal to and less than the speed of said cylinder, said transfermember having sheet shops and grippers thereon arranged to grip a sheetmoved against said stops, and means for forwarding sheets in lappedformation toward said transfer member including driven means on one sideof the sheets and roller means on the other side thereof for forwardingthe foremost lapped sheet against said stops at a speed greater than thespeed of said stops and less than the speed of said cylinder.

CHARLES W. HARROLD. HOWARD A. PRITCHARD.

described, a uni-

